ACFE Insights

One shared characteristic among fraudsters is creativity. Devising a scheme and then covering one’s tracks requires a certain amount of ingenuity. Sometimes, though, fraudsters take it one step further and venture into the realm of downright weird. Mark Twain said, “Truth is stranger than fiction…” Here are some of the spookiest frauds, so strange that we couldn’t have made them up if we tried.

Night of the Living DeadFrench police recently arrested an unnamed “high-profile” Ukrainian thought to be behind a complex case of international fraud and money laundering. The catch? He was dead. Well, according to official records he was dead. Turns out, the “resurrected” citizen forged a death certificate and jetted off to France to live a lavish life in a castle.

Hocus PocusEver heard of an “evil spirit blessing scam”? A woman in Toronto pretended to be a witch and promised her victim that she would rid him of evil spirits for large sums of money. Unfortunately, for this would-be witch, in Canada the criminal code allows for people to charged with fraudulently pretending to practice witchcraft.

The Sixth SenseA woman shelled out more than $700,000 for a 9.2-karat diamond ring and gave it to Psychic Zoe because Psychic Zoe told her she wouldn't find true love unless she did. This fraudster sensed heartbreak, and instead of seeing an opportunity to help someone, she saw an opportunity to take advantage of the victim’s distress.